Let the Battle Begin
by Lord Divestre Croft
Summary: Continuation of the "Tea" series. The town is surrounded. Blood will be spilled. As the enemy closes in, Cloud and his "friends" prepare to take to the sword. There is no turning back. AU. Content added on chapter two.
1. It's Almost Christmas

A still night is a stagnant night, and a stagnant night is a poisonous night. Oh, the torment the moon must've felt when it spent its evenings in such a state. Its phases seemed to pass faster through the days, just to disappear from sight.

There was a light snowfall at midnight. Cloud stepped out into the cold and pulled his coat tighter around him; only his nightclothes were underneath. His breath froze around his face. The snow crunched under his boats with each step. When he reached the middle of the street, Cloud looked up toward the forest and watched for anything…and everything.

Something strangely odd was coming towards the village. When he first sensed it, Cloud had stumbled out of his bed in fright and came rushing down the stairs. But now that he saw there was no threat, he was left completely dumbfounded. It made no sense to him…or maybe…just maybe…

"You can see them coming too," a voice observed in the night.

Vincent came towards him from behind, also in coat and nightclothes. He had a thermos full of tea under his arm. A few yards away, Sephiroth was struggling in the snow. His coat was well powdered, and he was not very happy.

"Blasted winter!" Sephiroth cursed. "How do humans stand for this?"

"Welcome to the mortal plane," Cloud teased. "Humans don't seem so weak anymore, do they?"

Vincent stopped right beside Cloud and opened up his thermos. The steam poured out as he drank some. Vincent gestured for Cloud to have some, but he refused politely.

"They're non-threatening," Cloud mumbled in surprise. "Perhaps, they're trying to escape from something.

Sephiroth reached them finally in a state of heavy breathes. "That would make perfect sense."

"Is there something you have failed to mention?" Vincent asked suspiciously.

"Not much," Sephiroth answered. "I left too soon to find out. But they were planning something. They won't give up the village without a fight."

Cloud let out an ironic chuckle. He tucked his hands into his pocket, regretting that he forgot gloves.

"I wouldn't be surprised," he confessed. "Not after my rather violent reception. Ah well, I'll just have to stave them off."

The wind gusted in their direction, and it seemed to come directly from the forest. The hanging shop signs swung back and forth; the creaking sounds cried through the night.

"But what of these people?" Vincent asked. "Why on earth would they come to this plane?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Sephiroth asked in amusement. "There is going to a maelstrom. They don't want any part of it, but they can't move elsewhere. So, they have no choice but to come to the village."

Cloud sighed and looked at Vincent's thermos. "Actually, I could use some of that, thank you…"

--

Tifa quietly opened her bedroom door. She stepped into the dark hallway and shivered in the chill of the house; her bedroom had been warm. A few doors way, she could see Cloud's door, and it called to her. Tifa couldn't resist. Just a few steps, and she was right in front of the door. Tifa grabbed the knob quickly, but she hesitated to turn it.

"_Well, this is brazen of you," she chided herself. "Standing outside a man's door."_

She let go of the knob, only to take it again…more slowly this time.

"_But it's not like I want to do anything," she thought. "I just want to sleep next to him."_

A light blush appeared on her face. Tifa drew her hand away once more. She grunted in exasperation.

"Why can't you just grow a spine?" she hissed quietly.

"I'm not in there," a pleasant voice mocked.

Tifa gasped and looked into the hallway. Cloud, returning from wherever he came, walked towards her with a smile on his face. He rubbed his hands together and blew on them.

"I kept hearing a weird noise," Tifa lied. "I thought it was coming from your room, so I came to see if you were awake."

"Without knocking?" Cloud asked.

"I'll remember next time…sorry…"

Tifa turned to go back to her room.

"You know," Cloud said, "If you want to sleep in the same bed, you could just ask."

Tifa halted with a squeak. "What makes you think I want that?"

Cloud shrugged and came towards her, still rubbing his hands. Up close, Tifa saw that his hair was damp, and his face was light red. He was shivering.

"Because this isn't the first time you've stood in front of that door…during the night."

Tifa winced in embarrassment. A wrinkle formed between her eyes as they narrowed. Cloud gave her all-knowing smile and reached out to straighten a piece of her hair. His fingers accidently brushed against her cheek, and she flinched. Tifa grabbed his hand before he could take it back.

"Your hands are freezing!" Tifa cried.

She touched his face and found that he was also cold there.

"Were you outside just now?" she asked.

"Yes," Cloud replied.

"What for?"

"Otherworldly business. You needn't worry."

Cloud walked past her and into his room. He stopped a few steps from the doorway and peaked outside.

"So, are you coming in or not?" he asked.

"No!" Tifa yelled.

She rushed back into her room and the door creaked as she shut it behind her. Cloud shook his head and smiled in endearment.

--

A few hours later, Zack stepped out of his stepfather's house. He wrapped his scarf a little tighter and headed for Aerith's home. The snowfall had stopped, but it was still devastatingly cold. Zack didn't like the cold, and he had made sure to bundle up nicely.

The walk was not very long, just four blocks with a turn or two. He squinted because it was still a bit dark. When he saw the sign for Aerith's floral shop, he steps became more urgent and hurried. Zack nearly slipped on some ice but regained his balance.

He slipped between her shop and the neighboring building and stood below her window. Zack dug into his coat pocket and pulled out a small stone. He hurled it upward and hit the windowpane, hoping to cause some noise. He waited for a moment, pulled out another stone, and threw it upward again. After the second time, the window curtains were pulled back, and Aerith opened the window to see what was happening.

"Aerith!" Zack called out.

Aerith looked down and saw her boyfriend on the ground below. She swallowed hard as if she were sick.

"What are you doing here?" Aerith asked (in a scolding tone). "It's barely after four!"

"I need to talk to you," Zack said. "Please?"

"Right now?" she asked.

"Yes!" he replied.

Aerith shivered from the cold. She nodded reluctantly and shut the window. Like a mouse, she darted out of her room and down the staircase. She went through her shop and unlocked the door; Zack was already waiting there.

"Is something wrong?" Aerith inquired.

"Yes, there is," Zack answered. "Can I come in?"

Aerith stepped out of the way to let him pass.

"Just keep quiet," she warned. "We mustn't wake Mother."

Zack took off his coat and scarf. Aerith hung them on the coat rack and beckoned him toward the kitchen.

"Alright," she said. "So, you're here. What is it?"

"I met your mother in the marketplace yesterday afternoon," Zack informed.

Aerith offered him a chair at the dining table and sat in another. Zack slowly seated himself and cleared his throat.

"She spoke rather hoarsely with me," he continued. "She said something on the lines of 'stay away from my daughter and stop toying with her heart'."

"She said that?!" Aerith asked in surprise. "What for?"

"I hoped you'd tell me," Zack answered.

"Well, she's mistaken. I've never heard her speak like that."

Zack leaned closer to her girlfriend. His eyes darted all over face. Aerith began to fidget nervously. He took a deep breath and leaned back into his chair.

"There's something else," he said. "Something I've been meaning to tell you for a while."

Aerith straightened up in her chair; her face went pale. Zack took it to notice.

"W-what is it?" Aerith stammered.

"It's about my father," Zack explained. "My late father."

"Oh, your father!" Aerith murmured. "I liked him. He was so kind…a bit of a drinker though, but…"

Zack snorted and shook his head. He looked towards the refrigerator.

"You have something warm?" he asked. "Or something alcoholic?"

"We do have some opened sherry," she replied. "What? You want a bit?"

Zack closed his eyes and nodded. Aerith relaxed and got up to retrieve it for him. As soon as her back was turned, he began to speak.

"My birth father was a severe alcoholic," Zack revealed. "Very few people in the town knew. Dr. Hojo knew. Many of his partners knew. Some of the household knew…including Mother and me. But no one had the guts to say anything. He had so much power, and everyone was afraid of him."

Aerith stiffened and gulped. She walked back quickly toward the table, with sherry and glass in hand, and set it on the table. She popped the bottle open and poured a small amount into the glass. She offered it to her boyfriend, who took it abruptly.

"I don't usually drink," Zack said. "I hate it. I've always hated it. My father got drunk all the time…and when he was drunk, he was violent. Mother knew that more than anyone…"

"You're not saying he beat her?!" Aerith cried. "B-but that can't be true! I never saw bruise on her!"

"She wouldn't go out until the swelling went down," Zack countered. "And we always made excuses. We had to. Him…his business partners…his rich friends…they hounded us to keep it quiet. And besides…how can you tell a whole town that one of their biggest landowners is a…"

Zack stopped in midsentence and sighed. Aerith gave him a blank stare and said nothing. She left the table and got a glass for herself.

"I didn't want to keep quiet," Zack affirmed. "I actually tried to tell someone…but then, Father and his partners bribed that person to keep quiet. It was no use. I always…I always thought that villages were free from this sort of thing."

"T-there's evil e-everywhere, Zack," Aerith corrected. "Everywhere under the sun. Oh dear God, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Zack gave her an incredulous look and swallowed all of his sherry. Aerith offered to give him more, but he refused.

"No more," he said. "I might be susceptible too."

"He's dead now," Aerith reminded. "You don't have to worry anymore."

"May he burn in hell."

"Zack!"

"I'm being honest with my feelings. Ah, I'm a bloody coward. I only stood up to him once…the year he died. And he beat me good for it. Heh, the only person in town who wasn't afraid of was Miss Lockhart…"

Aerith sank into her chair. "Miss Lockhart?"

Zack went silent and pressed his lips together.

"Miss Lockhart?"

"I accidently got her involved," Zack responded. "It's a long story…"

Aerith drank down her sherry and poured herself another. "I like long stories."

--

Tifa slowly woke up before five, but she preferred afterwards. She stretched a little bit and yawned. In her movement, she realized that someone was holding her. Her hands traveled to her waistline until she touched a pair of arms, gently wrapped around her. Tifa gasped and wriggled herself around to see the trespasser.

"What are you doing here?!" she shrieked.

Cloud smiled and opened his eyes; he was obviously awake before her.

"I came here because you're chicken," he answered. "If you had just come to **my** room, I wouldn't have had to go through the trouble of sneaking in here…"

Tifa struggled to get out of his grasp, but it was a tight one.

"And don't say it wasn't what you wanted," Cloud warned. "You've been outside my door almost every night this week."

She frowned in protest, but eventually, she slumped in defeat.

"How'd you know?" Tifa muttered.

"I could sense it," Cloud replied. "Woke me up a few times too. I almost called out to you, but you left before I could… So, do you want to start sleeping in the same bed or not?"

"No!"

"No?"

Cloud shrugged and moved to get out of her bed. "Alright then. If you say so."

Tifa sprung up in bed and blindly wrapped her arms around him.

"Wait just a minute!" Tifa yelled.

"What?" Cloud asked teasingly.

There was a pregnant pause. Tifa let go of him and relaxed.

"We're going to a have visitor," she told him. "From a city off the mountain."

"Is that what you were going to say?" Cloud asked.

Tifa ignored the question.

"It's our tea shipments, Cloud. They come in every month."

"Right…so what were you really going to say?"

Tifa scowled and gave him an Indian burn on the arm. Cloud hissed in pain, but he didn't relent.

"My source tells me that he has brand new teas coming!" Tifa said cheerfully. "Brand new. So I need your help. He'll be coming at half-past six, so we'd better be ready."

"I can do that," Cloud replied. "So, what were you really about to say?"

"There was nothing else!"

Once again, Cloud shrugged and tried to get up. "If you say so, m'am."

But Tifa squeaked and held him down.

"Alright," she said nervously. "Alright! I guess we could sleep in the same bed…but not all the time. Just occasionally…understand?"

"Understood," he replied.

She sighed and rested her forehead in his hair. Tifa liked the smell of him in the morning. Perhaps, that was because he took his baths at night.

"So, are you going to ask me to take occasional baths with you?" Cloud joked.

"Let me see a ring first, buddy."

--

Tifa lounged in her bathtub. Her arms rested on the edge of the tub, and she breathed deeply to help her circulation. Some steam was coming off of the water. Tifa had already scrubbed herself from head to toe. Her hair was pinned up high, to keep it from getting wet. Despite that, her sweat caused her bangs to cling to her forehead.

The water was very hot, but she was tolerant. It came from standing over a hot stove all day long. The extreme heat always gave her a kick in the morning.

She drew her hands back. Tifa curled into a ball and hugged her knees against her chest. A smile curled on her pretty lips.

"He's still such a mystery," she mumbled.

Tifa noticed the heavy frost on the window. She then remembered that it was December 24th … Christmas Eve. A few days ago, she had happily bought more than enough food for two people…unless Yuffie decided to stop by. But for some reason, she sensed that she'd need much more this year. The very idea made her nervous.

--

A green truck arrived in front of the shop, half-past six on the dot. It stopped abruptly at the edge of the sidewalk, and the roar of the engine died down. The front passenger door popped open first, and Marlene jumped out. Barret, a large build of a man, opened the driver's door and stepped out. Tifa rushed out to meet them, and Marlene ran towards her.

"Tifa!" she cried.

Tifa bent down with her arms outstretched. Marlene ran into her and gave her a tight hug.

"Merry Christmas, Marlene."

Marlene gave Tifa a large smile. "Did you bake any cookies?"

"Sorry," Tifa said. "I'm all out. But I'll bake some more today."

She patted Marlene on the head and led her inside. Barret walked toward the back of the truck to pop the trunk open.

"Get the tea out later, Barret," Tifa called out. "We'll have something hot in a few minutes."

He stopped for a moment and frowned in confusion. "We?"

--

"Don't spill it on me this time," Cloud teased.

"You're terrible!" Tifa cried.

The teakettle had broken, so they were confined to pots at the moment. Tifa poured the hot water carefully into the teapot, hoping it wouldn't splash on the sides again. Previously, Cloud had not been very happy with hot water on his shirt.

The couple fussed over the next blend. Cloud wanted to try Azteca Fire (an herbal infusion) with MatéVana, but Tifa wanted to use teas that had berry ingredients. Nevertheless, they stood very close together and argued in whispers. Barret watched quietly while hunched over the dining table. Marlene was dreaming of cookies.

"Marlene can't have caffeine," Tifa snapped. "She's not even thirteen yet. Let's make it for our lunch instead."

"A little bit won't kill her," Cloud countered. "And the other blend has berries already."

"I'm in a berry mood," Tifa whined. "Come on! Marlene shouldn't have caffeine anyway; she'll bounce all over the walls… literally."

Cloud groaned. "Okay…how about Azteca Fire with Cloud 9 Rooibos? No caffeine there."

"But there's no berries!" Tifa complained.

"There's strawberries in both teas, bonny."

"That doesn't count."

They stepped back and stared each other down. Almost mechanically, their hands shot out in a game of rock-paper-scissors. Tifa chose rock, but to her dismay, Cloud used paper. He covered her hand with an evil, triumphant smile.

"So when are you two getting married?" Barret asked.

The conversation stopped dead. Both heads turned.

"We haven't gotten that far yet," Tifa replied.

Barret grunted in disappointment and gave Cloud a dirty look.

"What's taking you so long, fool?"

Cloud raised an eyebrow left to get the tins.

"Miss Lockhart," he answered. "That's why."

Tifa wrinkled her nose and threw a hot mitten at her boyfriend. The kitchen door swung behind him. He stepped the counter and immediately saw the Cloud 9 Rooibos. Cloud slid it out carefully and started to look for the Azteca Fire. He had only used that flavor once or twice, so searching was a bit difficult.

Suddenly, a painless yet jarring sensation hit the back off his head. He knew this feeling, and it was something he didn't want to feel again. Cloud turned towards the door, and someone watching him from behind it.


	2. The Black Needle

It wasn't done before Christmas, but oh well. Enjoy it anyway. Next chapter up soon.

* * *

Tifa looked at her watch and smiled: 7:45 am. It was Saturday, so the teashop wouldn't open until nine. She watched patiently as Barrett and Cloud worked together, stacking all of the new tea shipments on the counter and table. Marlene was reading over the checklist.

"Other teas have been discontinued," Barret warned. "The one's that haven't sold much."

"How many?" Cloud asked.

"A total of thirty-one teas," Marlene chirped.

"Thirty-one!" Tifa cried.

"To make way for the new ones," Barret explained. "Thirty-one new ones."

Marlene darted her eyes all over the page and read aloud:

"The supplies have dropped two whites, two oolongs, four herbals, one mate, four rooibos/reds, five greens, and thirteen blacks. It comes to the total of thirty-one."

Tifa's jaw dropped. "Why so many black teas?"

"Black teas are yucky!" Marlene declared. "Now…where are the new teas?"

Marlene hummed and flipped the page up to look at another. She read it over and nodded.

"Seven whites…and oh! Two blooming teas. These really cool, new ones…they open up into big flowers in your teapot. Four greens, four oolongs, two herbals, one mate, six reds, and five blacks…"

"Black teas have been dealt a bad card," Cloud teased.

"All of the Darjeeling was cut," Marlene informed. "So were the decaf blacks."

"Vincent won't like that," Tifa pondered. "Darjeeling's his favorite."

Marlene read over the page again. She tapped a pen on a certain spot.

"They added a new Darjeeling to the menu," she said. "And it's more expensive than the last ones."

Tifa sighed in relief. Marlene tugged off the pages and handed them to her. Now, what to do about the discontinued teas...

"Any popular ones I need to know about?" Tifa inquired.

Barret rolled his eyes and pointed at Marlene. She stood up and chanted them all like a parrot. Tifa clicked the pen and checked them off.

"Samurai Chai Maté… Sweet Oolong Revolution …Zingiber Ginger Coconut…White Ayurvedic Chai…Black Dragon Pearls…Kamiya Papaya Oolong…Peach Momotaro… and Fruta Bomba!"

Marlene grinned with pride and held up a victory sign.

"My wife's created a monster," Barret mumbled under his breath.

--

At nine o'clock, Yuffie was given a tedious job. With a list of all the obsolete teas, Yuffie took all of their tins down and set them on the shop counter. Next, she would have to scoop them all into labeled burlap sacks and put them away. As soon as the discontinued teas ran out, they would be gone forever.

Personally, Yuffie found it rather sad that she wouldn't see these teas again. Then again, it was similar to graveyard of Ben & Jerry's, showcasing all of the failures and washouts they created. She mused that Tifa might try to do the same.

Marlene came sauntering from the kitchen, licking the milk and tea mustache over her lips. A mug was in her hands.

"I never knew you could blend teas," she said. "But I guess it makes sense."

Yuffie gave her a quick glance and smiled.

"What's your favorite?" Marlene asked curiously.

"I'm not sure yet," Yuffie replied. "I haven't tried them all."

"Well, don't try Gingerbread Cookie!" Marlene tipped her off. "It doesn't even taste like gingerbread. It's nasty!"

Marlene marched back into the kitchen in a huff. Yuffie shook her head and continued with her work.

A few minutes later, Reno and Rude snuck into the shop. They looked over their shoulders to see if Tseng was after them. When they knew the coast was clear, both of them sat at the counter and took a breather.

"Where's Tifa?" Reno asked.

"In the back," Yuffie answered briefly.

Rude nudged Reno on the arm and said without mercy, "With Cloud, right?"

Reno rolled his eyes and ignored him. Yuffie nodded but didn't stop moving her hands.

"The tea supplier is back there too," Yuffie announced. "They've also bought new flavors with them. Unfortunately, that means that some teas had to go."

"They didn't cut MatéVana, did they?" Reno asked nervously.

"Nope," Yuffie answered. "That's too popular."

Marlene opened the door and popped her head out to the shop.

"Black Dragon Pearls isn't very good by itself," she declared. "But Cloud says it goes well with Kamiya Papaya."

Marlene slithered back into the kitchen…or parts unknown. Yuffie shrugged and continued her task.

"What was that?" Rude asked.

Yuffie scooped some tea into a burlap sack and replied, "I don't know."

--

Just before lunchtime, Tifa joined Barret behind the shop. Barret was politely smoking a cigarette outside, and Tifa stood away from it on the steps. She was not very keen of the smell.

He took a nice, long drag and snorted.

"I can't go down the mountain for a bit," Barret confessed.

"Can't go down?" Tifa questioned. "Why not? You were able to come up."

"There's ice on the road," he replied. "And the road workers aren't salting it down."

Tifa put her hands on hips and scoffed in disbelief.

"That's ridiculous!" she shouted. "They're supposed to salt the road after every snowfall. That's dangerous…"

"That's not the worst of it," Barret complained. "I talked to someone about it before I got here, and they said that most of the workers were sick…a bug was going around. There won't be any salting until after Christmas…Marlene and I will have to stay here. Any good inns?"

Tifa shook her head stubbornly.

"Forget the bloody inn," she answered. "I've got room."

"And horn in on you and Spiky?" Barret sneered.

Tifa flinched, and her ears grew hot. She shook her head vigorously.

"There's nothing to intrude upon. You and Marlene can stay right here…"

The backdoor opened with a loud creak and bounced against the brick of the building. Slowly and almost unwillingly, Cloud stepped out into the open. He walked right past Tifa as if she weren't even there. At first, he seemed to be looking forward, but his eyes weren't focused on anything in particular. His body was shaking, and Tifa assumed it was the cold. But little did she know that it was a reaction to something so vile…so repulsive...that Cloud could barely stand the sensation.

"Disgusting," he muttered. "How disgusting…"

"What are you doing?" Tifa asked.

He came back to his senses and gained back his normal composure.

"What's gotten into you?" she scolded. "Stepping out into the cold without a coat…you're like a little boy!"

"Sorry," Cloud replied. "I…I wasn't thinking."

Tifa frowned and slapped him on the arm. "What am I going to do with you?"

Cloud gave her a cheeky grin and went back inside.

"Don't worry," he said. "I'll throw myself out."

As soon as he was gone, Tifa shook her head and turned her attentions back to her guest.

"Are you dating a weirdo?" Barret asked.

"Cloud's not weird," Tifa replied defensively. "He's…different."

"That's the new way of saying it."

From within the kitchen, Barret and Tifa heard a high-pitched scream. They looked at each other in shock and rushed inside.

The kitchen appeared to be empty at first, but Tifa noticed a pair of small feet under the table. She stooped down, and Marlene was sitting underneath, hugging her legs against her chest. Her face had gone completely white, and her pupils shrank. Her whole body trembled, and her breathing thickened as if she had suddenly become unstable.

"Marlene, what are you…?"

"Gross!" Marlene cried out. "So gross! They're everywhere!"

Barret crouched down and saw his daughter in her unbalance. Out of fatherly protectiveness, he reached out to touch her.

"Sweetie pie," he said to her. "What's the matter with ya?"

Marlene backed away from his hand and scrambled from under the table. She fled the kitchen in a panic, and her footsteps could be heard throughout the whole building. Tifa stood up slowly and let her eyes fall on the door.

"What's gotten into my Marlene?" Barret asked quietly.

Tifa swallowed and answered casually, "Perhaps, I have a rat or two in the kitchen."

--

Cloud wrapped his scarf around him and put on his overcoat. His body was still shaking, and his unstable hands could barely tuck the buttons into place. Yuffie was busy serving a few customers at the counter. She noticed that he was at the door and looked over the people to see what he was doing.

"Where're you going?" Yuffie asked.

"I have shopping to do," Cloud answered quickly. "Tell Tifa that I'll be back in a while… with lunch. Want something?"

"Something deep fried with chicken."

Cloud nodded and put on his gloves, a task that had also become difficult. As the customers prepared to leave, Yuffie took a second glance and vaguely saw the state he was in. But she said nothing. The customers went out the door, with Cloud holding it open for them. He followed after and shut it behind him.

Then, there was a moment of silence. Yuffie shrugged and put the tins back on the shelf. She heard thumping sounds from upstairs, but she paid no mind. But she couldn't ignore it when Marlene came galloping down the steps, in more considerable disarray. Yuffie frowned in annoyance.

"Aren't you being a bit loud?" Yuffie commented.

Marlene didn't answer. She grabbed slipped on her mittens in a hurry and slung her scarf around her neck. Marlene snatched her coat from the rack and flew out the door before putting it on. Then followed another bout of silence.

Tifa came quietly from the kitchen. She walked behind the counter and picked out a few tins.

"Do you know where Cloud went?" Tifa asked.

"He said there was some shopping to do," Yuffie answered. "But he didn't say where."

"He should've invited me," Tifa whined.

"You really should give some free-range to your lover," Yuffie teased.

Tifa slammed the tin on the counter. Yuffie winced and decided to change the subject.

"That kid just went rushing out a few minutes ago. That girl…what's her name…sounds like the name of a fish…"

"Marlene went out alone?" Tifa asked. "Does Barret know?"

"Who's Barret?" Yuffie replied.

Tifa stared at Yuffie with wide eyes and went back into the kitchen. A few seconds later, Barret came bursting from the door in a parental fit. He went outside the shop and looked both ways down the street. No Marlene. He went back inside with an irritated expression on his face.

"What's wrong with that girl today?"

--

Cloud sniffed at a small bind of rosemary, and the fragrance was potent. A few more customers bunched up next to him at the stand, much to his slight annoyance, so he claimed a few more binds, dropped them into the hand basket, and moved out of their way. He bumped into an elderly woman by accident and excused himself before moving on his way. The aisles had become narrower, so Cloud had to squeeze his way out, lifting the basket over his head. The grocery store was getting rather crowded.

Though his hands were still shaking, Cloud pulled out a list from his pocket and mentally read: eggnog (check), whole Milk (check), half-and-half (check), nonfat Milk (check), mint leaves (check), rosemary (just picked up), mushrooms, apples, flour, walnuts…

The trembling in his body began to calm down, but Cloud was still alert. **They** were close. In fact, he felt their hostile presence in the very building he was standing in! But what was he to do? They had done nothing to provoke him...yet.

He looked towards the end of the aisle and saw packaged mushrooms in the refrigerated section; very few were left. Cloud fought through the crowd and snatched the last of them before anyone else could. He didn't bother to look for fruit because it wasn't any good (in his opinion), and the walnuts and flour were all sold out. The hand basket was unbearably heavy anyway.

Cloud turned around and struggled to get to the other side of the store. A middle-aged man ran into him, nearly making him drop the mushrooms.

"Sorry, good man," Cloud said politely.

"Watch where you're going, you bloody rascal!" the man shouted.

The man shoved past him and went on his way. Cloud turned around, put his thumb to his nose, wiggled his fingers, and stuck out his tongue before continuing onward. The counter was up ahead, and the majority of the staff was frantically running up items for the customers. Cloud begrudgingly got in line for a full ten minutes.

"Shopping wasn't like this where I've come from," he mumbled to himself. "I should've done this earlier."

Cloud felt a hard tug on his coat. He turned, looked down, and saw Marlene, who had an iron grip on his sleeve. She gave him an innocent smile and held up the last bag of flour in her hand.

"And what are you doing here, miss?" Cloud asked.

Marlene froze for a moment and slowly came to answer.

"I wanted to go shopping," she replied.

"Where's your dad?"

"Back at the tea shop."

"So, you're allowed to go outside by yourself?"

"No…but I'm not by myself."

Cloud arched an eyebrow and smiled. "You're not?"

"Yeah…I'm with you, aren't I?"

Marlene tried to dump the bag of flour into the basket, but Cloud put it out of her reach.

"Do you know how heavy this?" Cloud asked. "My arms are about to fall off."

"So why don't you put it down?" Marlene asked.

"There's not enough room."

Cloud's shopping list fell out of his pocket and onto the ground. Marlene picked it up and read over it.

"Where're the walnuts and apples?" she asked.

"I'm getting them in the marketplace instead," he answered.

Marlene squealed in glee and clasped her gloved hands together.

"We're going to the marketplace?"

"No," Cloud corrected. "**I'm** going to the marketplace. But before that, I'm taking you back to the tea shop."

Marlene went pale; her mouth was slightly opened. She shook her head in defiance and clasped his arm in her hand.

"I can't go by myself," she insisted. "I'll be all alone!"

"No, you won't," Cloud replied. "Your dad's there. So is Tifa. And Yuffie…"

"They can't protect me like you can," Marlene revealed.

Cloud was taken aback. Marlene gave him a serious look, one that only a twelve year old could make. The strength of her grip increased.

"I'm scared," she said. "I'm really, really scared. I don't know why…but I'm getting this feeling that there are lots of bad people around me. But when you're around, it's not so bad…so could I please please please please please go with you?"

He stared hard at her and frowned. Marlene had a hopeful look in her eyes and a cheesy smile on her face. Cloud rolled his eyes and exhaled through his nose. But he understood her feelings.

"Alright kid," he said. "You can follow me around."

"I'm not a goat," Marlene replied.

"Sorry."

The front of the line was coming. Marlene tried to put the flour into the basket again, but Cloud managed to avoid it.

"But it's heavy," Marlene complained.

"This basket's heavy too," Cloud replied. "That's life, girlie. You can't just…"

The jarring sensation hit the back of his head again. He froze. So did Marlene. They stared at each other.

"Did you feel that too?" Marlene asked.

Cloud nodded without a word. Marlene hugged the flour. Everything around them continued in its hustle and bustle, completely unaware of what was happening. Then suddenly, a loud, pained scream came from nearby. Many heads turned to see what was going on. Marlene became stunned and dropped the flour at her feet.

Flailing at the end of the canned food section, an elderly woman cried out in agony. She strained her arm, trying to reach for her back.

"Bloody hell!" someone cried. "Is that woman having a stroke?"

Cloud dropped the basket in front of Marlene and ran out of line. He pushed and shoved through the crowd without excusing himself. As soon as he came close to the woman, he noticed a strange man, wearing a black overcoat, walking away from the scene. The man turned around and gave him a blatantly malicious smile. Cloud growled under his breath.

He kneeled by the old woman and took hold of her. Her head fell back, and she let out an unpleasant moan.

"It hurts me!" she yelled. "It hurts me!"

"Where?" Cloud asked urgently.

"M-my back!"

Cloud acted quickly. He scrambled behind her and examined her back carefully, until he found a familiar, black circle in her shoulder blade. Cloud took off his gloves and gripped it with his nails. Slowly and painstakingly, he pulled out a small needlelike object from her back.

The woman breathed out in relief and collapsed on the floor.

--

When the commotion finally died down, Cloud and Marlene snuck out of the grocery store. Both of them carried a bag under their arm. At first, Marlene said nothing, but as soon as they were far enough from the store, she opened her mouth.

"Why did that old lady have a pin in her back?" she asked.

"It was meant to harm her," Cloud answered plainly.

Marlene felt the bag slip from her grasp and she fumbled with it.

"Who did it?"

"One of the 'bad' people."

Marlene nodded in understanding. Her boots got stuck in the snow, and she strained to get her feet moving. Cloud sighed and waited for her to get out of her predicament.

"The old lady's okay though, right?" Marlene asked.

"Yes," Cloud replied. "I got the needle out before it did any damage."

"What damage?" she inquired.

"It would've drained of her batteries," he replied.

Marlene got her feet free, and they continued onward.

"That's bad," she realized. "People can't get new batteries, can they?"

"No… they can't."

"Will it happen again?"

"Not if I can help it."

She smiled optimistically. The bag started slipping out of her arms again, and she struggled with it. Cloud gave up and carried it for her.

"So everything will be fine then," Marlene decided.

"I sure hope so," Cloud muttered.

"We're going to the marketplace now?" she asked.

"Not before making one more stop."

--

Vincent sat behind his desk at the shop front, reading a classic. He peeked above his book and watched Sephiroth walk past him with a large stack of volumes in his arms. He turned a page and hummed under his breath.

"Busy day," Sephiroth commented. "Does it always stop like this at lunchtime?"

"Everyone's got to eat sometime," Vincent replied.

"So why aren't **we** eating?" his companion whined. "There's a hole in my stomach!"

Vincent sighed heavily, and he bookmarked his page. Sephiroth groaned and prepared to sort the books in their rightful places.

"How can you think of food when the whole town is in danger?" Vincent questioned in exasperation. "Can't you see? They're are everywhere!"

"Cloud will take care of them," Sephiroth replied confidently. "His kind always takes care of it."

"Hasn't it occurred to you that they might try to kill us too?"

Sephiroth let out a low chuckle. Vincent didn't find anything funny.

"You know your problem, Mr. Valentine?" Sephiroth asked. "You care far too much."

"And you don't care one bit!" Vincent retorted.

The store bell rang, and the argument ceased. Cloud walked inside, with Marlene holding the back of his coat. Vincent softened a little and smiled; Cloud's arrival gave him _some_ relief.

"Hello, there," he said. "Nice to see you stop by. I'll put on some silver needle …"

Cloud put both of the bags on Vincent's desk and stretched out his arms.

"That's a good idea," Cloud interrupted. "And speaking of needles…"

Cloud reached into his pocket and pulled the out black needle. Sephiroth took one look and let his jaw drop. Vincent's eyes widened, and he let out a surprised cry.

"Where did you get that thing?!" Vincent asked in demand. "Where?!"

"In an old woman's back," Cloud responded.

Sephiroth walked up and snatched it from his hand and examined it.

"This is a deliberate violation of the law," Vincent observed. "**Our** kind has been forbidden the use of these weapons for hundreds of years. The physical harm of humans is strictly forbidden."

"Apparently, they no longer give a damn," Sephiroth added. "See? I told you something was brewing."

Marlene stayed hidden behind Cloud's coat. Sephiroth leaned to the side to get a glance of her. Cloud felt her tugging hard at the torso.

"It's okay, girlie," he consoled her. "They're safe."

Marlene revealed her face, which had a very suspicious look on it. Vincent and Sephiroth looked at each other and shrugged.

"Well, you better pull a chair in here," Vincent said. "We have a lot to talk about."

--

Twenty minutes later, Marlene was satisfied with a plate of cookies on the desk. The teakettle made its high-pitched cry, and everyone flinched in paranoia. Vincent cleared his throat and left to make the tea.

"Marlene, how much do you about your family?" Cloud asked.

A crumb dropped out of her mouth and onto the desk.

"My family?" she asked. "Well, my daddy right now is not my _real_ daddy. He's my step-daddy. Everyone in my family's from the same city…except grandma…no one knows where she came from…"

"No one knows?" Sephiroth asked mischievously.

Marlene shook her head. "Nope. No one… except grandpa. He knows, but he won't tell anyone…not even mommy."

Sephiroth nodded in calm apprehension. "I think I know where she's from…"

"Really!" Marlene chirped. "Where?"

"Nowhere Land," he teased.

Marlene scowled and gave him a raspberry. "You meanie!"

Vincent returned with an hourglass. He turned it over and set it on the desk.

"It's a two-minute timer," Vincent said. "That's all the tea needs."

Cloud stealthily snuck a cookie off Marlene's plate. He popped it into his mouth and finally started to relax. Unfortunately, this was short lived, for the jarring sensation hit the back of his head for the third time that day. Everyone in the room stopped and froze. They all turned toward the front door.

"T-they're here!" Marlene stammered. "They've come to get us!"

In a fit of blind terror, Marlene turned around and flung herself into the arms of the nearest person. This person wrapped his arms around her and laughed.

"Just when we were about to have some nice tea," Vincent complained.

The room started to darkened. The kitchen lights turned grey. Sound from the outside world was turned off like a switch. The hourglass was held in suspension; the sand stopped in mid flow.

"So what happened to me being a meanie?"

Marlene looked up and realized that she was in Sephiroth's arms. She grunted in disgust and wriggled out like a fish.

"I believe we're receiving guests," Cloud asked calmly.

"Oh yes," Sephiroth replied with a smile. "Having get-togethers are fun."

They both got up and picked up their seats. Vincent scoffed and opened his desk drawer. He pulled out a large revolver and stuffed bullets into all of his pockets.

"I think you're both nuts," he muttered.

Marlene whimpered and turned from left to right.

"Marlene, why don't you hide under the desk?" Vincent suggested. "This "get-together" is for adults."

The sound of echoing footsteps alerted them. Marlene slipped out of her seat and took the suggestion with enthusiasm. Vincent loaded his revolver and set it on his desk. Sephiroth turned his head toward the direction of the sound and grinned in anticipation. Cloud sat where he was, with his hands folded on the desk.

After a long, nerve-racking minute, a group of people appeared in the shop…and seemingly out of nowhere. They stood before the three men in fashionable order; the leader stood in front, and the rest stood in a triangle. All of them were clad in jet-black overcoats. Sephiroth recognized their leader at once and snorted. They resembled each other very much, but one of them had longer hair.

"I see you've been expecting us," the leader observed.

Cloud answered him without turning around. "So we have."


	3. Christmas Eve Battle

After a while of trying to get this in before Christmas, I said to myself "To hell with this!" So here's the last chapter...and it's late. Very late. Merry late Christmas, everyone.

* * *

In spite of the snow, the marketplace was busy. Yuffie ventured towards a traveling bookstand in the middle of the fray; her purse was tucked under her arm. Tifa followed behind her for support. Yuffie was planning to buy something special.

"I don't know about this," she murmured. "What's he gonna think when some eighteen-year-old girl gives him a Christmas present?"

"That won't matter," Tifa argued. "You're Yuffie. And you put a lot of thought and care into this. He'll love it."

Yuffie made a whining sound and trudged forward. The bookkeeper at the stand was counting his change. He looked up and smiled pleasantly.

"How may I help you ladies?" he inquired.

"Rare books," Yuffie blurted. "I want you to show me the rarest book you've got."

--

The leader felt the gun in his coat. The minions behind stood poised, waiting for orders. The three stayed as they were without moving or saying anything. Marlene was still tucked underneath the table. Throats were dry.

The silence was broken when with a sigh of disappointment.

"So, it's you, Yazoo," Sephiroth greeted. "**You** attacked that poor, old lady. Isn't that a bit cowardly?"

"No," Cloud interrupted. "He's not the one."

"Heh, how can you tell?" Yazoo asked mischievously.

Cloud turned slightly. "Because his presence was more potent then yours."

Sephiroth covered his mouth and snickered. Yazoo's eyes widened in barely controlled fury.

"But that's not important," Cloud continued. "Are your people _**willfully**_ breaking the law?"

"So what if we are?" Yazoo replied bluntly.

"Are you prepared to pay the price, then?"

"Why should it matter? Who cares for laws anyhow? It's not like we are doing wrong."

Cloud turned his head back and tapped his fingers on the desk. "Oh really?"

"Is it a sin to fight for what belongs to you?" Yazoo questioned. "We were here first, you know."

"That still doesn't change my job," Cloud responded. "I can't let you have your way."

Yazoo laughed and shook his head.

"I knew you would say that," he mocked. "That's typical of your kind. Blindly following a blind purpose…why go through the trouble?"

"Do you really want an answer?" Cloud asked. "Alright then…but first, tell me this: why does your world need negative human energy to survive?"

Yazoo went silent and was unable to answer. Cloud stopped tapping on the desk and a subtle smile appeared on his face.

"You can't tell me, can you?" Cloud asked. "Well, I can't answer your question either. And you want to know why? Because that's the way things are…the way things have always been. I don't need a reason. I just do it. That's all. Now that I've made myself clear… please leave…or please die."

"Filthy quidam!" a minion cried.

The whole company went into an uproar. Yazoo groaned in shame; he held up his hand, signaling them to stop.

"Please excuse them," Yazoo said. "They have no manners. Not that I don't like you. In fact, I despise you. But I do respect you…and your _capabilities_."

"I'm happy to hear that."

Yazoo smiled politely and turned to the two mavericks.

"So, they call you 'Vincent' down here?" he asked. "I don't suppose you're against us too?"

"Unfortunately yes," Vincent responded. "I've become rather fond of this town, you see…among other things."

"You mean that flat-chested teenager who works at the tea shop?" Yazoo teased.

Vincent turned red in the face. Cloud and Sephiroth did their best to keep from laughing.

"And you…Sephiroth is it? Are you an enemy as well?"

"Me?" Sephiroth asked. "I'm not very sure…but if you do attack me, I might become violent."

Yazoo shrugged and grinned nonetheless. "I'll take that as a yes, then. But that means we have to kill all three of you…"

"Feel free to try," Cloud answered.

"Speak for yourself!" Vincent retorted. "I've never had the intention to be offed by a bunch of uncivilized parasites."

The company went into another angry uproar again. Yazoo covered his face with his gloved hand. One of the minions dared to step out of formation and started to approach three on his own.

"Who are you calling a parasite?" he snarled. "Weren't you one of us?!"

A shot rang out in the bookstore. The peon fell backwards and hit the ground with a thud. Yazoo blinked in shock and looked down at his fallen comrade, who had a gaping hole above his eyebrow. Cloud toyed with Vincent's revolver and blew off the smoke.

"You swine!"

Yazoo rushed to attack. Cloud tossed the gun to Vincent and got to his feet. He picked up the chair and hurled it as hard as he could. Yazoo leapt over it and pulled out his gun; he aimed and fired two shots. Cloud narrowly dodged them and grabbed his opponent's wrist, keeping the gun pointed towards the ceiling. Yazoo struggled to get free, and they scuffled violently.

Vincent pounced on his desk and jumped forward. He shot two bullets into the group of foot soldiers, and none of them strayed. He landed on his feet with a thump, and suddenly, a sword came at him with terrifying speed. He held back the blow with his revolver.

As for dear Sephiroth, he sat were he was without moving.

Cloud got a grip on the trigger and squeezed it incessantly. The ceiling became peppered with holes. Yazoo fought even harder to gain back control, and he managed to straighten his arm to the side. Using this his advantage, Cloud pointed the gun into the general direction of the enemy and kept pushing until the gun was empty. Some hit the wall of the store, but the majority killed. In a fit, Yazoo rammed him in the stomach and knocked him down.

By the time Cloud recovered, his opponent was dashing upstairs. He quickly stood up and followed in hot pursuit.

--

The world had dimmed in color; the sky was grayish-blue. The town that Tifa knew had disappeared. The marketplace had ceased all noise, and all the people were frozen in place, like porcelain dolls. Yuffie, whom she was helping with the burdensome present, had completely stopped moving. Her mouth was open in mid chatter. Tifa let go of the box and backed away in fright.

"What on earth is going on here?!" she shrieked.

An overwhelming sensation filled her heart with dread. Her sudden fear of this "new" world was completely overridden by something else. Something more serious was happening. Tifa had no idea what was occurring or where it was, but she could feel the danger like the cut of a knife. She turned towards the west part of town, without knowing she was doing it, and felt a spiritual pull tugging at her. A name formed on her lips.

"Cloud!"

Tifa broke into a run. It was times like this that Tifa was glad for being physically in shape. She jumped a small flight of steps in an alleyway and let the snow cushion her fall; even then, she didn't stop moving. For Tifa, it didn't take this strange feeling to know that something was very wrong in the village.

It was almost as if an alarm had gone off. Her haste, her forebodings, and her pursuit…they all seemed strangely routine. There was a sense of urgency in her legs. She ran through the streets without making a slip; every step counted.

--

His enemy was hidden well. Unlike Tifa's home, the upstairs apartment had more twists and turns. It was too dangerous to walk carelessly through the halls. Cloud slid quietly to the floor and leaned against wall.

Cloud held out his hand, and a long object formed under it. It took shape in seconds and revealed itself as a large sword. He grasped the hilt and held it out in front of him; the blade was pointing upward.

He closed his eyes, rested his head, and listened. The blade vibrated. Cloud assumed that either Yazoo was nearby, or some sort of energy was forming. Either way, he was still on his guard.

Cloud heard a rumbling, shaking sound, but the floor was still. He opened his eyes and watched as the colors around him started to disappear. He was being pulled closer towards his opponent…deeper into the fight. Retreating was no longer an option.

Cloud breathed through his nose and grinned.

"_Well then," he thought. "Let the battle begin…"_

It was do or die (literally speaking). Cloud soundlessly sprang to his feet and raced through the halls. His sword bore like a fang. He perked up his ears and watched for anything at the corner of his eye.

Cloud passed a set of doors, leading to the end of the hall. The sound of a cocking gun hit his ears, and he threw himself down to safety. Several bullets tore through the door above him and hit the wall. Cloud waited and lay still for ten seconds. He got up and swung his sword, slicing the door in half.

The enemy acted. He jumped backwards onto a bed and fired a shot. Cloud blocked it with his sword. Yazoo scrambled to the other side of the bed and overturned the mattress, only to see it sliced in two. The gun barked, and Cloud barely got out of the way. The bullet tore a bit of his hair as it whizzed past.

With the bed as an asset, Cloud jumped on it with sword held over head, and lunged forward for a semi-aerial attack. Yazoo held up his gun at the last minute, saving himself from the cut. They pushed against each other's weapons for control; their strength was almost matched.

And then, Yazoo remembered there was a window behind him. He gave Cloud direct eye contact and smiled fiendishly. He stopped pushing against sword and let up his strength; gravity did the rest. They both fell to the floor, and Yazoo kicked up his leg, forcing his opponent through the window.

Cloud covered his eyes as he went crashing headfirst through the glass.

--

"Would it kill you to help a little?!" Vincent yelled.

He shot two more bullets, and his gun went empty. Vincent had no time to reload; his three remaining enemies had cornered him into the wall.

"Oh no!" Sephiroth replied. "Little old me? You're doing such a good job by yourself!"

"Scoundrel!"

Sephiroth turned back and saw Marlene standing behind the desk; her mouth was opened wide in amazement.

"It's like an action movie," she murmured.

"Aren't you supposed to be **under** the desk?" he asked.

"So?"

"How much did you see?"

"I saw it all!"

Sephiroth smiled in delight. "Ah, so you like violence now, do you?"

"If you mean action," Marlene answered, "Then yeah!"

Several yards away, a sword was threatening Vincent's throat.

"You idiot!" he yelled angrily.

Sephiroth snorted under his breath and gave in. "Wanna see something cool?"

Marlene nodded vigorously.

Meanwhile, the blade put a cut on Vincent's neck. Blood trickled down into shirt, and he closed his eyes.

"_This is it," Vincent thought in despair. "I'm dead. I am so dead. I'm…"_

His thoughts were interrupted by a grunt, followed by a crashing, splintering sound. Vincent opened his eyes and saw a warrior sliding lifelessly against the wall…the very man who was about to cut his throat. Vincent looked up and saw Sephiroth, brandishing his broken seat. Vincent was forgotten.

"Oops," Sephiroth said. "Clumsy me; my hands slipped. I should really pay attention to what I'm doing."

They angrily came at him all at once. Sephiroth just smiled. He spun around, and the first suffered a brief (but not deadly) encounter with the chair. He charged the second, and with terrible strength, Sephiroth impaled him on a shattered chair leg.

"Oh bother," he teased. "I've slipped again!"

The last peon recovered from the blow and stirred. When his eyes became focused, he saw Sephiroth kneeling over him with a large, splintered piece of wood in his hand.

"I don't know what's wrong with me today," Sephiroth mocked. "I just can't keep my bloody hands from slipping!"

He plunged the "weapon" into the dark warrior's heart. And then, it was all over. Sephiroth stood up and clapped his hands together.

"Well Vince," he said. "That was fun, wasn't it? I didn't even have to summon Masamune! I'm up for another one. How about you?"

"That was totally wicked!" Marlene exclaimed.

Vincent wiped the blood from his neck. He walked over to Sephiroth and gave him a good slug.

"Imbecile!" he snapped. "Cretin! Numbnuts!"

Soon, Vincent was standing over his companion with his hands balled into a fist. Sephiroth sat sprawled on the floor and blinked in shock. He frowned at the sudden attack and rubbed his cheek. Yuffie would've been impressed.

"I save your life and this is the thanks you give me?"

"I would've been more grateful if you had stepped in _**earlier**_!"

"Uh, you guys…we're busted."

Both men turned and finally acknowledged the twelve-year old girl in their presence. She pointed straight toward the door, and standing in the middle of the threshold was fully moving Dr. Hojo. The good doctor slowly took off his hat and absentmindedly dropped it on the floor. Vincent wheezed in horror.

"Oh my," Sephiroth muttered. "We really slipped after all."

--

She was getting closer…closer to **him**. Tifa became more aware of her surroundings, and she found it to be rather vexing. The world had turned into an old black and white film (in pause). Tifa didn't know this place. She was far from home.

Up ahead, she saw a moving figure in front of an alleyway. Tifa stopped in her tracks and squinted her eyes, trying to decipher if there was danger ahead. The figure had his back towards her. She recognized his hair and the general shape of his body (under a familiar looking overcoat) and exhaled in relief. Almost certain…no, completely certain of who it was, Tifa ran again to meet him.

"Cloud!"

Cloud turned around as if a rope was jerking at him. Tifa came towards him without a care in the world. As soon as she got twelve feet of him, she could clearly see the fearful expression on his face. But it didn't matter. He was safe. **Her** Cloud was safe. Nothing else mattered.

"Don't come any closer!" he shouted.

Something in his words made her feet heavy. For the first time, she noticed the sword in his hand; he was bleeding from the forehead. Cloud had become grave and stern, much unlike his usual temperament. Tifa almost thought that it wasn't him at all.

"Cloud?" she asked. "What's going on here? What's happening?"

"Why are you just standing there?!" Cloud yelled. "Run! Get out away from me!"

Ordinarily, Tifa listened to a warning and did as she was told. But something kept her there, kept her from leaving. Tifa's nerves were shot, and she began to wonder if she was going mad. Her body moved without her control, and she walked towards him. Her hand reached out for him.

"No, please don't tell me that," she heard herself say.

"Don't be an idiot!" he berated her. "Get out of here!"

"I can't," she insisted. "Not now…not while you're… in danger."

Tifa heard a small, clicking sound. Cloud ran forward and tackled her to the ground; she heard an unsettling, booming noise. Tifa squeaked on impact, and the snow softened their fall. His sword made a crater. Cloud stood up immediately; Tifa was stuck on her backside, slightly shocked. When she finally came to her senses, he extended a hand for hers and pulled her up.

"Someone shot at us!" Tifa declared.

"I know!" Cloud answer.

He glanced from side to side. Tifa felt a slimy sensation crawl down her spin; something despicable was coming their way. She heard muffled footsteps, and the repellant vibe grew stronger.

"Ugh!" she cried. "What is that?"

"Shhh!"

Instead of Yazoo, another shooter came walking from the alleyway, but Cloud was already aware of his new enemy. He noted the similar color of hair, but this man had short, spiky hair and was of stockier build. His gun hung in its holster. As soon as Tifa saw the gun, her mood turned uncontrollably hostile. She started to walk towards this man, but Cloud grabbed her arm.

"Where's Yazoo?" the enemy asked in a loud voice.

"He's not dead," Cloud responded. "If that's what you want to know."

Tifa struggled in his grasp, and Cloud refused to let go.

"What are you holding me back for?" she snarled. "This freak just shot at us!"

"He has a gun," Cloud reminded.

"I don't care! He's not getting away with it."

The new enemy smirked and folded his arms across his chest. He landed a few yards away from them. Tifa wasn't intimidated. She somehow managed to slip from Cloud's protective hands and ran forward like a flash.

"Are you crazy?!" Cloud bawled.

The gunman smiled with delight. He reached for his weapon, but before he could target her, Tifa grasped his arm and yanked it into a safe position (for her, at least). She sank her teeth into his arm like a wild animal, and the man yowled in pain; the gun fell to the ground. Tifa kneed in the stomach, and he fell to his knees. She grabbed him by the collar of his coat and swung her fist into his face.

Cloud watched with dinner plate eyes.

While her opponent was out, Tifa grabbed his gun for good measure. She turned back and ran towards Cloud; she was panting.

"I could've done that," he muttered, "…dear."

"A single woman has to know these things, honey," Tifa replied. "Now let's go. You can explain this to me, later…"

Just then, an odd sound filled the air. At first, Tifa perceived it as the wind, but as it got louder, it became whispers. Coherent whispers…

"Scum!" one voice murmured.

"Loathsome creature!" another added.

"Filthy quidam!"

"Monster!"

Cloud pushed Tifa to the closest building. She stumbled on the storefront.

"If anyone comes near you," he said, "Shoot them. You do know how to use a gun, right?"

"I know enough," Tifa replied firmly.

"Tifa…I."

"You'll explain later. I know!"

If Cloud were for talking, he would've announced that he felt lighter. He put his attention towards the streets, filled with frozen citizens. But among them, several individuals began to stalk toward him…like hunters on the prowl. Cloud picked up his sword and took a defensive stance.

When they came close enough, the people attacked. Tifa saw these people and gasped in shock. She recognized many of them; they were average townspeople that she saw everyday! What were they doing here? And like this?

A village woman came at him with a machete. Cloud slashed her across the chest, and the woman fell backwards with inhuman screech. Tifa flinched from her post. A man charged him from behind; Cloud met him fearlessly and stabbed him savagely. Another villager, a young man snuck up and stabbed him in the arm, to keep him from using his arm.

Another attacker was closing in. Cloud reached under his coat with his free arm and pulled out a dagger. He drove it into the young villager's neck; the youngster shuddered and collapsed. Cloud spun on the ball of his foot and tripped the opponent behind him. He ignored the pain in his arm and drove his blade into the enemy's heart.

The snow was stained, but because there was no color, there was no red. Tifa watched without taking her eyes off of the scene. Of course, she was worried for his safety. They were lovers after all. And yes, she was shocked at the violence, but more than that, she found herself engrossed. Cloud was doing all this? The same Cloud? The gentle Cloud…who made all that tea and showered her with so much affection?

As soon as it began, the battle had stopped. People were retreating and disappearing. Tifa was relieved.

She ran from the storefront and practically pounced on Cloud. He let out a grunt and slid one foot back to keep from falling. Tifa buried her face into his chest and squeezed him.

"T-tifa?"

"Y-you're amazing!" Tifa stammered. "You really are! That was…wait a second! You're hurt!"

"It's only a scratch."

Tifa suddenly became conscientious and let him go. She took a few steps back and looked away, with a blush on her face. Cloud rolled his eyes.

From a small distance, they heard a pained grunt. The gunman regained consciousness and sat up, rubbed his forehead. He looked up and saw them; he hopped to his feet in a rage. The gunman stomped towards them, but a voice shouted out:

"Loz!"

The gunman stopped and saw Yazoo, sitting on the rooftop of the building.

"Forget it, Loz," Yazoo commanded. "There's always another day! And you're unarmed."

Loz snorted in bruised pride. "Who asked you?"

"A crazy woman beat you up," Yazoo ridiculed. "And he'll turn you to mincemeat. Let's get going!"

Loz growled, but he nodded in understanding. He turned around, and as he walked away, his body vanished into thin air. Yazoo faded as well. Cloud and Tifa were left alone.

"We've got to get out of the street," Cloud said.

He dropped his sword to the ground, and it disappeared in a flash. He took Tifa by the arm and led her away through the alley.

--

When Cloud and Tifa entered the bookstore, they were very shocked to see Dr. Hojo there. He was shaking in a chair (unbroken) and sitting by Vincent (just calmed down). Cloud stood still and looked to Vincent and Sephiroth for an explanation.

"It's not our fault!" they shouted unison.

"It's not mine either!" Marlene added.

There was low, creaking sound. Everyone winced. The hourglass started to flow again. Color returned in all its hues. People started moving again. The snow turned back to pure white. All of the bodies that fell in battle faded away…as if nothing had ever happened. Nothing except…Vincent's poor bookstore had received heavy damage.

Dr. Hojo craned his head toward Cloud. He tried to get up, only to stumble onto the floor. Vincent rushed to help him, but Hojo refused his assistance. He stood up straight and put his hand on the desk.

"Tell me more," Hojo demanded.

"What?" Cloud asked.

"Tell me more. Tell me more…about your kind!"

--

Yuffie grappled valiantly with her package. A part of her was angry that Tifa disappeared on her. The other part was just wondering how Tifa had vanished so quickly. But no matter. She had Vincent's present.

Yuffie mustered all her strength for the home stretch. She trudged to the teashop's door. As she tried to push it open, someone intervened and opened it for her. Yuffie looked up to see whom her helper was, and found (to her happiness and dismay) that it was Aerith.

"Hi there," Yuffie said. "You here for some tea? Tifa just got some new ones…"

"Oh no," Aerith replied. "I came here to speak with her. Is she in?"

Yuffie shrugged and hauled the large box in. Aerith shared the burden for the rest of the way and was taken aback on how heavy it was.

"What's in this thing?"

"Vincent's Christmas present."

"You're finally making a move on him?"

"Shut up!"

Aerith smirked. She pushed her back on the kitchen door to open it. As soon as it cracked, she and Yuffie were meet with loud voices.

"My pretty face is bruised!" Sephiroth complained (but not seriously). "And it is all your fault, Vince!"

"It wouldn't have happened if you weren't such a peabrain!" Vincent retorted. "I almost died, you…"

"Knock it off, you two!" Tifa scolded. "You're acting like little boys!"

Dr. Hojo diligently treated the visible wound on Vincent's neck with cotton swabs and medicine. Yuffie was so startled that her hands dropped, leaving poor Aerith with the load.

"Vincent!" she cried.

All heads turned like mechanical dolls. The room became silent. Cloud was inconveniently (depending on one's point of view) shirtless; he was in the middle of putting it on, to cover his bandaged arm. Tifa was pouring Vincent's silver needle tea into her mugs, and she accidently made it run over.

"What happened to you guys?" Aerith asked curiously.

"We had an adult get-together!" Marlene declared. "And Seph kicked someone's butt with a chair!"

"It was a misunderstanding," Tifa thought up quickly. "Holiday madness."

Aerith and Yuffie nodded…but didn't believe it.

Loud Christmas singing came from the outside. Barret came through the backdoor with two, large paper bags in his arms.

"I got the apples," he bellowed. "I got the walnuts! I got chestnuts too! Let's get to it! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! Oh, what fun it is to ride…"

Barret stopped and saw how full the kitchen. He looked at Tifa, then at Cloud, then at Aerith and Yuffie. He sat the bags onto the floor and said:

"What's this place turned into, fool? A freaking hang-out?"

* * *

Is it just me, or did this chapter end up being funny?

Tune in next time for _End of the Matter_.


End file.
